The discovery of **Eternal Bite** was a revelation—a complete game-changer in the world of ALBEKO. As Alex sat at the head of the table, watching the shades work silently in the background, he couldn't help but feel the weight of what they had stumbled upon. The **shade-infused food** they were producing wasn't just a novelty—it was a **broken** mechanic, something so powerful it could tip the balance of the entire game.
They could produce unlimited amounts of food, and each item would **grant real-world time** and **stat bonuses**. The implications were staggering. If they played this right, CODE could become the most **influential guild** not just on the second floor, but in the entire world of ALBEKO. But that kind of power came with risks.
"We need to be **extremely careful** with this," Alex said, his voice low but serious. "If people find out what we're really doing here, how broken this food is… it could end badly."
Betsy leaned forward, nodding in agreement. "You're right. If the bigger guilds find out we can **produce unlimited time**, they'll either try to steal it from us or, worse, force us to work for them. This isn't just about making money anymore—we're talking about **survival**."
Drax looked confused. "But we're the ones with the power, right? Why should we be scared of anyone?"
Alex shook his head. "It's not about being scared. It's about being smart. We've found a loophole in the game's mechanics—a glitch that lets us create food that gives **real-world time**. That means, technically, we could live **forever** as long as we keep making this food. But if the system admins find out, they could patch the glitch, or worse, ban us. And if rival guilds find out, they'll stop at nothing to control it."
Luke, standing by the window, gave a single nod. "**Verum.**"
"That's why we need to move carefully," Betsy added. "We can't afford to draw too much attention too fast. We need to **market this slowly**, build a solid foundation, and make sure no one suspects how much time we're actually making."
Drax crossed his arms, finally understanding. "Alright. So, we keep it low-key for now. But that doesn't mean we can't start making serious bank, right?"
Alex grinned. "Oh, we'll make money. But we're going to do it in a way that keeps us off the radar. We'll start small—focus on the **lower-level players** and **smaller guilds** who won't ask too many questions. Once we've got a solid base, we can expand."
---
### **Marketing and Promotion**
The next few days were spent carefully planning their **launch**. They needed to introduce **Eternal Bite** to the market in a way that would generate interest without raising too many red flags. The food was powerful, but if they marketed it as just another **buff item**, it would blend in with the thousands of other products available in Ironclad City.
Betsy, ever the strategist, had a plan.
"We'll start by offering **free samples**," she said, laying out the marketing strategy. "Target the **small guilds** and **solo players** who are just trying to survive on this floor. They won't have access to high-end buffs or equipment, so they'll jump at the chance to get something that gives them an edge."
Alex nodded. "And we'll make sure the **time bonus** isn't advertised. That stays between us. We'll push the stat buffs, the convenience of having a meal ready to go during dungeon runs. The extra time is a secret that only we can control."
Drax leaned back in his chair, grinning. "It's like we're dealing in forbidden goods. I like it."
"Exactly," Betsy replied. "We need to create **demand** without revealing too much. Once the word gets out that 'Eternal Bite' gives players a noticeable edge, we'll start attracting **merchants** and **small-time traders** who want to distribute it."
Alex crossed his arms, thinking about the long-term. "And once we've got the demand, we expand. But we need to be ready for competition. Other guilds will try to make knock-off versions of our product. We'll need to **stay ahead of the market**."
"That's where your shades come in," Betsy said, her eyes gleaming. "We can **scale production** faster than anyone else because of the shades. They work day and night, and no one can replicate what they do. We just need to make sure no one knows how we're producing the food."
Alex smirked. "Leave that to me. The shades will handle everything behind the scenes. As far as anyone knows, we've just got a well-organized production line."
---
The marketing plan was set in motion. **Betsy** took the lead, using her **networking skills** to spread the word discreetly. She reached out to small guilds and players who were struggling to keep up with the more established players on the second floor.
The strategy was simple: offer a free sample, let the product speak for itself, and then let word-of-mouth do the rest.
The initial response was better than they could have hoped.
Within days, players were coming back, eager to buy more of the **buff food**. The stat bonuses were noticeable, and the convenience of having a meal that didn't require cooking or preparation made it an instant hit with dungeon crawlers. What really sealed the deal, though, was the **hidden time bonus**. Players who ate Eternal Bite found themselves with extra real-world time, though they didn't quite understand how or why.
Alex and the team kept the truth about the time bonuses under wraps, but it wasn't long before rumors started spreading through the streets of Ironclad City.
"Did you hear? There's this new food that makes you stronger, and I swear I've got more real-world time since I started eating it."
"No way. That's just a placebo effect. It's probably just a regular buff."
"I don't know, man. I've been running dungeons for hours, and I haven't had to log off in forever. There's something weird about this food."
The whispers began to spread, and soon, **Eternal Bite** was becoming the talk of the lower-level players. But Alex knew they couldn't stay hidden forever. The **bigger guilds** would eventually take notice, and when they did, CODE would need to be prepared.
---
### **The Pressure of Success**
Within a week, **Eternal Bite** was in high demand. CODE's small operation was working overtime to keep up with the orders flooding in. The **shades** worked around the clock, producing food faster than any human team could manage, and Alex kept a close eye on production, making sure no one got suspicious of how they were doing it.
But with success came new challenges.
Betsy sat at the table, going over the numbers. "We're selling out faster than we can produce," she said. "We need to **expand** if we want to keep up with demand."
Alex frowned, deep in thought. "We're still flying under the radar for now, but it won't be long before the larger guilds notice us. We need to secure **trade routes** to other cities before they come knocking."
Drax grinned. "Sounds like we're about to get into the big leagues."
Betsy wasn't as optimistic. "We need to be **careful**, Drax. The moment the bigger guilds find out we're sitting on a product that grants **extra time**, we're going to have a target on our backs. We need to establish **alliances** before that happens."
Alex nodded. "We've got the money now, thanks to the casino sale. We should start **buying influence** with the merchants and smaller guilds. Build a network of **trusted traders** who can handle our distribution. We can't rely on players coming to us. We need to go to them."
Luke, ever watchful, finally spoke. "**Verum.**"
"That's right," Alex said, standing up. "We play this smart, and we'll have the second floor under our control before anyone realizes it."
But deep down, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking a fine line. The **power** they had stumbled upon was far too great to stay hidden forever. And when the **bigger guilds** and **the system admins** found out what was really happening, it could bring everything crashing down.
They would need to move **carefully**—and be ready for whatever came next.